Steering-gear.



No. 888,940. PATENTED DEC. 18, 1906. E. BENTLEY.

STEERING GEAR.-

APPLIOATION FILED NOV. 21, 1905.

mommy QR); messes earner orrron EDDIE BENTLEY, OF LINCOLN, ILLINOIS.

$TEERING-G1EAR..

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 18, 1906.

anplication fiIed November 21, 1905. Serial No. 288,450.

To ctZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, EDDIE BENTLEY, a citizen of the United States,residing at Lincoln, in the county of Logan and State of Illinois, haveinvented new and useful Improvements in Steering-Gears, of which thefollowing is a specification.

The invention relates to an improvement in steering-gears designed,primarily, for use with automobiles and similar vehicles.

The main object of the present invention is to construct a steering-gearadapted for convenient operation from the seat of the ve hicle and whichin use guards the vehicle against liability of upsetting in turningsharp curves at a high rate of speed and avoids liability of tearing offthe tire or snapping a wheel-axle.

The invention will be described in the following specification,reference being had particularly to the accompanying drawings, in whichFigure 1 is a front elevation showing an automobile provided with myimproved steering-gear. Fig. 2 is a plan of the steering-gear; Fig. 3,an end elevation of the same, illustrating the arrangement relative toone of the vehicle-springs; Fig. 4, a bottom plan of the gear Fig. 5, anenlarged detail of the coupling-rod member of the universal joint. Fig.6 is a sectional detail illustrating the steering member of theuniversal joint. fixed steering-rod.

Referring to the drawings, my improved steering-gear comprises a bar 1,hereinafter termed the axlebar, secured transverse the vehicle near theforward end thereof and preferably secured to the body-springs by anysuitable device. Beyond the springs the bar inclines upwardly, as at 2,and terminates in spaced ears 3 for the pivotal reception of thewheel-bracket.

The bracket forming the support between the axle-bar and the wheel isduplicated at each end of the bar, and therefore a detail description ofbut one will suffice for both.

The bracket comprises a plate member 4, having at its upper end an ear5, to be pivotally secured to the ears 3 of the bar through the mediumof a bolt 6. The lower end of the plate 4 is also provided with an earor projection 7 for a purpose hereinafter described. Intermediate theears 5 and 7 the Fig. 7 is a view in elevation of the plate 4 isprovided with spaced parallel-arranged lugs 8, positioned in a plane atan angle to the plane of the plate, as clearly shown in Fig. 3.Abearing-sleeve') is pivotally and rotatably supported between the lugs8 through the medium of a pivot-pin 1 O, passing through said lugs andsleeve, whereby the sleeve is movably supported relative to the plate 4and at an incline thereto, the arrangement of the lugs 8 being such thatthe sleeve is inclined upwardly and rearwardly relative to thevehicle-body. l/Vheel-spindles 11 project from said sleeve for thereception of a wheel 12, said spindle extending at a right angle to theplate 4 to support the wheel normally in vertical position relative tothe vehicle body. A steering arm 13 projects from the sleeve 9 near thelower end thereof, said arm extending approximately at right angles tothe spindle 11 and directly forward from the sleeve in the normalposition of the parts.

The steering-arms 13 of each bracket are connected through the medium ofa connecting-rod 14, terminally secured to each of said arms by auniversal connection. This connection is illustrated in Figs. 5 and 6,and comprises a stirrup member 15, the cross-bar of which is perforatedlongitudinally for the reception of the proximate end of theconnection-rod, a ball-bearing 16 being provided with appropriate cones,washers, and lockingnuts between the connecting-rod and member 15 toprovide for relative movement with a minimum of friction. By preferencethe ball-bearings 16 are duplicated in opposite faces of the cross-barof the member 15. The other or sleeve member 16 of the couplingcomprises a cored body for the reception of the bearing-arm 13, spacedball-bearings 17 providing for necessary relative movement. The sleevemember is formed with an extension 18, transversely bored and adapted toseat between the arms 19 of the stirrup member, the bore in theextension alining with openings 20 in the arms of the stirrup member forthe reception of a suitable pivot-pin 21. The construction describedprovides a simple universal oint which will readily permit the necessaryindependent movement of the parts. An operating-rod 22 is terminallyprovided with spaced ears 23 to embrace the ear 7, depending from plate4, whereby the plates of the respective brackets are con- IOS nected forsimultaneous operation. A steerfor automobiles, but is equallyserviceable in ing-rod 24 is connected at one end to one of otherconstructions, such as steering-gears the brackets immediatelybelow theoperating for fire-trucks or the like.

rod 22 and at the opposite end to themanu- Having thus described theinvention, what ally operated and controlling means 25 withis claimed asnew is in the car, being preferably connected to a 1. A steering-gearcomprising a fixed axle, rod extending from said means. A rod 26,wheel-supports, means for connecting said hereinafter termed the fixedsteeringrod, supports to the axle to prevent movement of is terminallyconnected to the axle-bar 1 and the supports in one direction, and meansfor at the opposite end to the connecting-barv 14, simultaneouslyswinging the supports in a whereby the relative elevation of therespecdirection parallel to the length of the axle, tive wheels issecured in the operation of the whereby the securing means insures aturn- 7 5 gear. ing of the supports.

Assuming the parts constructed and ar- 2. A steering-gear comprising afixed axle, ranged as described, operation of the hand bracketspivotally connected thereto, wheelmechanism 25 will through the rod 24tend supporting sleeves pivotally connected to the to swing the bracketsas a whole upon. the brackets, means for moving the brackets on pivotalsupport at 3. As the sleeves 9, howtheir pivotal connection, and meansfor ever, which carry the wheels are practically maintaining the sleevesin fixed relation to the fixed, owing to the connection between theaxle. bar 14 and the fixed axle-bar 1, said move- 3. A steering-gearcomprising a fixed axle, ment of the brackets as a whole will turn thebrackets pivotally connected to said axle, sleeves on their pivotalsupports, thus swingwheel-supporting sleeves revolubly connecting thewheels at an angle to the body to proed to the brackets, means formoving the vide for turning the vehicle. This operation brackets ontheir pivotal connections, and through the pivotal mounting of therespecmeans for maintaining the sleeves in fixed retive brackets alsoalters the vertical inclinalation to the axle. 0 tion of the wheels, andby the inclined ar- 4. A steering-gear comprising afixed axle, rangementof the sleeves the respective brackets pivotally connected thereto,sleeves wheels will during their turning'operation be revolubly mountedat an inclination to the caused to assume a higher or a lower planelongitudinal plane of the brackets, means for than normal, thearrangement being such simultaneously moving the brackets on their 9 5that the inner wheel of the vehicle when pivotal supports, and means formaintaining turning is depressed from its normal plane, the sleeves infixed relation to the axle. while the outer wheel is elevated from its5. Asteering-gear comprising afixed axle, normal plane. As a result ofthis operation brackets pivotally connected to the ends and theconstruction permitting same both thereof, sleeves revolubly supportedin the wheels are inclined from the vertical when brackets, said sleevesbeing arranged at an turning, thereby shifting the bearing conincline tothe plane of the bracket, wheeltaet of the respective wheels relative tothe spindles projecting from the sleeves, a convehicle-body, the innerwheel being brought nection joining the free ends of the brackets, to abearing-point almost beneath the body, said connection being operablefrom the vehi- IO 5 so "that the weight of the vehicle is maincle, and aconnection joining the sleeves, said tained squarely and centrally ofthe rim and. latter connection being fixed relativeto the tire, hencerendering it practically imposaxle. sible to break the tire from itsconnection 6. A steering-gear comprising afixed axle, with the rim.Furthermore. the wheels are a bracket pivotally connected thereto, acon- I 10 maintained at respectively different elevanection joining thebracket and operated tions when turning the vehicle, the outer fromwithin the vehicle, sleeves revolubly wheel being on a plane higher thanthe inner mounted in and at an incline to the plane of wheel, wherebythe centrifugal force incident the bracket, wheel-spindles projectingfrom to making the curve is compensated for in a said sleeves,steering-arms projecting from well-known manner. the sleeve, aconnecting-rod, universal-joint The various rods and axles of the carmay connections between the end of the rod and be of the usual tubularor solid construction, the respective steering-arms, and'a rod joinasdesired, and the connections between the ing said connecting-rod and thefixed axle. respective parts may be in any preferred or In testimonywhereof I affix my signature 12o desired form. The manual operatingmechanism within the car may be of any of the preferred types, it simplybeing necessary to insure the longitudinal movement of the rod 24 to theextent desired.

The steering-gear is designed, primarily,

in presence of two witnesses.

EDDIE BENTLEY.

- Witnesses:

S. S. HoBLrr, F. W. BECKER.

